This invention is directed to a male component of a male and female fastener, such as a hook and loop fastener. More particularly, the male component has projections angled toward the direction of fastener shear force.
A number of fastening systems, such as diaper fastening systems, incorporate a male and female fastener, such as a hook and loop system, for easy fastening and release. The male component typically includes a flat plastic hook backing with a number of protruding hooks that engage with a number of loops on a female component. The hooks protruding from the hook backing of the male component typically project perpendicularly to the flat hook backing, and thus perpendicularly to the direction of fastener shear force. When the fastening system is fastened and shear force acts upon the fastening system, the perpendicular projections pull toward the direction of fastener force. As the projections are pulled, any hook portions on the projections are also pulled, which can result in the hooks releasing the loops, with the fastening system becoming unfastened as a final result. Furthermore, perpendicular projections often produce red-marking and irritation if brought into contact with a person""s skin, such as an infant""s skin in contact with a hook component of a diaper fastening system.
There is a need or desire for a male component of a male and female fastener that can remain fastened to a female component under high levels of shear force.
There is also a need or desire for a male component of a male and female fastener that reduces or eliminates the occurrence of red-marking and/or irritation if brought into contact with a person""s skin.
The present invention is directed to a male component of a male and female fastener, such as a hook and loop fastener, having projections angled toward the direction of fastener shear force applied by the male component and acting on the female component. The angled projections can apply a greater amount of shear force to the loops than perpendicular projections without disengaging from the loop, thereby resulting in a more secure fastening system. Furthermore, the angled projections can reduce skin irritation often caused by perpendicular projections.
The angled projections can have an engaging portion at the free end or can be free of hooks, or a combination of hook and non-hook type angled projections can be located on the male component. An entire surface of the male component can be covered with angled projections, or alternatively, the surface can have a combination of perpendicular projections and angled projections. The angled projections can be shorter in length than the perpendicular projections, such that the angled projections only participate in the shear function and do not cause skin irritation.
The angled projections can be formed from a mold designed to produce such projections, or from a mold specially shaped to produce angled projections when the male component is removed from the mold. Alternatively, the angled projections can be formed by using two or more polymers side-by-side in a mold, such that the projections become angled as the polymers cool due to differential shrinkage of the polymers.
With the foregoing in mind, it is a feature and advantage of the invention to provide a male component of a male and female fastener, such as a hook and loop fastener, that can remain fastened to a female component under high levels of shear force.
It is another feature and advantage of the invention to provide a male component of a male and female fastener that reduces or eliminates the occurrence of red-marking and/or irritation if brought into contact with a person""s skin.
It is yet another feature and advantage of the invention to produce a male and female fastening system that includes the above male component.